Save Emma

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Regina shot up out of her seat at the sudden revelation, dropping her teacup. She knew. She just knew that somewhere, buried deep inside her vault, was the answer to her problems. Buried deep inside her vault was a way to bring Emma back. She disappeared in a cloud of purple smoke, before her teacup hit the floor.

Regina materialized inside her vault, in a small room filled with rows and rows of old books and ancient tomes, her secret collection of magic books. Somewhere inside was the answer to saving Emma, Regina could feel it. All she had to do was find it.

But finding the answer was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Starting at the shelves on the far left wall, Regina began pulling books off the shelf, making piles on the floor next to her, her heart pounding in her chest. Before long, she found herself seated on the dirty floor of her vault, digging through volumes and volumes of magical text, frantically scribbling notes in a notebook, obsessively searching for the answer. Whether it was because her mind was preoccupied with the task at hand, or the subject matter she was researching, Regina didn't realize that, for the first time since Emma Swan died, she didn't feel the pain and emptiness in her chest.

She continued to work diligently well into the night, stopping only to eat a quick meal when she discovered low blood sugar was preventing her from focusing on the task at hand. Sometime after sunrise, she fell asleep from pure exhaustion, not remembering when she moved into the next room, where the bed that previously held Emma's body was still set up, a slight indentation on the pillow from Emma's head.

The sound of her cell phone ringing woke her up with a start, causing her to drop the book she was reading when she passed out.

"Henry? What's the matter?" She asked frantically, nearly dropping the phone.

"Nothing, Mom. Grandpa just dropped me off from our trip. Where are you?" Henry asked.

"I...uhh....I'm..." Regina fumbled over her words, confused from being woken up so abruptly, looking at her watch. "I'm in the office. I had some urgent matters to attend to that couldn't wait until tomorrow morning. I'll be home shortly." Regina lied, gathering up the books that lay on the ground around Emma's bed.

"But your car is still here." Henry said, suddenly sounding concerned.

"Yes, well, I decided to walk to the office. It was such a beautiful morning I thought I would get some fresh air." Regina continued to lie to her son, as she formed three piles of books next to her notebook filled with her notes.

"Mom, are you ok?" Henry asked finally, not believing Regina's story.

"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" Regina asked, using her best mayoral voice to cover up the fact that the pain was beginning to return in her chest. "I'll be home shortly, then we can have dinner. Granny's perhaps?" Regina said, trying to compose herself before returning home.

"Actually, could you make your lasagna tonight? I don't really feel like going out. I kind of just want to spend some time with you." Henry said, shyly. "I know I've been spending a lot of time with Grandma and Grandpa and Uncle Neal. I miss you, Mom."

"That would be lovely, Henry. I'll be home in a few minutes and I'll start making dinner." Regina smiled, waving her hand over the piles of books and notes, transporting them to the back of her closet, turning on her heels and making her way out of her vault.

"Ok, I'll see you soon." Henry said. "Love You, Mom." He whispered.

"I Love you too, Henry." Regina said, as she ended the call, checking to make sure the vault door was locked as she stepped into the cemetery, walking directly over to Emma's grave.